Having finished two collections the previous week, I read a novel and then shifted to these for a change of pace. I finished Renegade Swords, a sword-and-sorcery anthology, then got back to the huge Thinking Machine collection, which I’ve been nibbling away on for a long time. I read three more stories this past week which brings me to the halfway point. The third book is a collection of science fiction by E. C. Tubb, who some think is one of the better SF writers in short form.
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- Renegade Swords edited by D.M. Ritalin
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- The Thinking Machine: 50 Novelettes & Short Stories by Jacques Futrelle
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- Best SF of E.C. Tubb
“People of the Dragon” by Lin Carter from Renegade Swords
“Pillars of Hell” by Lin Carter from Renegade Swords
“The Rune-Sword of Jotunheim” by Glenn Rahman and Richard Tierney from Renegade Swords
“The Princess of Chaos” by Bryce Walton from Renegade Swords
note: Renegade Swords isn’t bad, but is probably best for the dedicated s&s fan.
“Problem of the Interrupted Wireless” from The Thinking Machine – the ship’s radio operator is murdered, but what is the motive?
“The Mystery of the Golden Dagger” from The Thinking Machine – a novelette about a young woman’s murder in a locked, deserted house.
The Problem of the Knotted Cord” from The Thinking Machine – a blind man’s granddaughter is strangled.
“Fallen Angel” by E. C. Tubb from The Best of E. C. Tubb – a robot story
“Death-wish” by E. C. Tubb from The Best of E. C. Tubb – massive interstellar fleets fight a seemingly unwinable war in space
note: I may need to skip my short story post next week as I’m trying to read a couple of novels, so don’t be surprised.
Tip the Wink 
I read a lot of Tubb back in the 60’s. Mostly Ace doubles but nothing since.
I would say be looking at the table of contents of Renegade Swords that you probably picked stories by the weakest writers. I always thought Lin Carter was pretty much a hack. I believe Bryce Walton wrote mainly kids’ books. And the other story was by writers unknown to me. I also could never get through anything by A. Merritt.
Steve, all of the thin book are about the same quality, thus my note. The second Tubb story was better than the first. I’m expecting Sixties SF magazine level stuff.
E.C. Tubb is new to me. I haven’t read anything by Futrelle but I plan to, based on your earlier post about The Thinking Machine. I love learning about new authors even if I already have too much to read.
Finding good new authors is always a treat, Tracy. The Thinking Machine stories are short and fun.
Not a S&S fan. Of course, I’ve read all the Thinking Machine (& other stories) by Futrelle. Who knows where his career might have gone had he not gone down on the Titanic. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by Tubb. Next time I’m in a SF mood, maybe.
I finished the Early Montalbano Stories collection yesterday.
That Montalbano collection was good, wasn’t it? I wish there were more, but the two books are all I know of.
I’m a big E.C. Tubb fan and own that BEST OF volume. I also own THE THINKING MACHINE volume but it’s awkward to hold.
George, that’s why I got the cheap Kindle edition! It weighs nothing!
Yes, it’s heavy, I rest it on my tummy when I read it. Kindle is a good choice for books like it if available.